School Of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, NUST

ME-327 Instrumentation & Measurement Lab (Spring 2023)

Experiment 2: Wheatstone Bridge Measurement

Objectives:

1. To determine the resistance of an unknown resistor using a Wheatstone bridge circuit.

2. To understand the principle of a Wheatstone bridge and its working mechanism.
3. To study the relationship between the resistances of the four arms of the Wheatstone bridge
circuit and the voltage difference across them.
4. To develop problem-solving skills by analyzing the circuit and making adjustments to
achieve a balanced bridge.
Learning Outcomes:

• Understanding of the Wheatstone bridge circuit and its working principle.

• Knowledge of the relationship between resistance and voltage in a circuit.
• Ability to measure the resistance of an unknown resistor using a Wheatstone bridge circuit.
• Understanding of Ohm's Law and its application in electrical circuits.
Apparatus:

1. SMT-3215 Transducer and Instrumentation Trainer

2. Connecting Leads

Figure 1: SMT-3215 Trainer

Page 1 of 6
Wheatstone Bridge:

The Wheatstone bridge is a type of electrical circuit used for the measurement of resistance. It was
invented by Samuel Hunter Christie and later improved by Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1843. The circuit
consists of four resistors arranged in a bridge configuration, with a known resistor and an unknown
resistor forming two opposite arms of the bridge. When a small voltage is applied to the circuit, the
balance of the bridge can be disturbed, and the resistance of the unknown resistor can be determined by
measuring the voltage difference across the arms of the bridge. The Wheatstone bridge is widely used in
electrical engineering and physics for resistance measurements and remains a popular educational tool
for demonstrating the principles of electrical circuits.

Figure 2: Wheatstone Bridge

Balanced Condition:

If current I1 flows in R1 & R3 and current I2 flows in R2 & R4,

I1R1 = I2R2.......................... (1)

IIR3 = I2R4 ........................ (2)

Divide Eq (1) with Eq (2)

I1R1/ IIR3 = I2R2/ I2R4

R1/R3 = R2/R4

R4 = (R2 x R3) / R1

Page 2 of 6
Procedure:

Figure 3: Initial Setup

1. Connect the meter and amplifiers as shown in Fig 3 with the + & - inputs to the Differential
Amplifier short circuited so that the input is zero. Set the Amplifier #2 GAIN COARSE control
to 10 and the GAIN FINE to 1.0.
2. Switch the power supply ON and adjust the OFFSET control so that the moving coil meter
indicates approximately zero. Then set the GAIN COARSE control to 100 and re-adjust the
OFFSET control for zero output precisely.

Figure 4: Wheatstone Bridge Connections

3. With the switch on the Wheatstone bridge circuit set to IN (connecting the unknown resistor in
circuit) set the Amplifier #2 GAIN COARSE control to 10 and connect the circuit as shown in
Fig 4.

Page 3 of 6
 4. Adjust the control of the 10-turn variable resistor so that the moving coil meter reading is
approximately zero, then set the GAIN COARSE control to 100. Finally adjust the 10-turn
resistor control accurately for zero meter (null) reading to balance the bridge.
5. Set the Wheatstone Bridge switch to OUT to remove the unknown resistor Rx from the circuit.
Connect the 10kΩ Slide variable resistor terminals A & B to the Wheatstone Bridge circuit
connections C & 0V.
With the 10kΩ resistor control set to maximum, measure its resistance as follows:-
6. Check that the amplifier offset is set correctly and adjust if necessary.
7. With Amplifier #2 GAIN COARSE control set to 10, obtain an approximate balance by adjusting
the 10-turn resistor.
8. 3. Set Amplifier #2 GAIN COARSE control to 100 and obtain final balance. Note the dial reading
and enter the value in table.
9. Repeat the procedure to measure the resistance of the 10kΩ resistor for all settings from 9 through
1, recording the dial readings at balance in table.
10. Calculate the resistance corresponding with each reading, recording the results in table. R2 is still
12kΩ.
11. Switch OFF the power supply.

Readings and Calculations:

Dial Reading = 200

Resistance R3 = 2000
Resistance R1 = 8000
Resistance R2 = 12000 Ω
Unknown Resistance Rx =(R2*R3)/R1=3000

For External 10kΩ Slide Resistor

Page 4 of 6
 Dial Reading at R1 (10 kΩ-
10 kΩ Resistor Setting R3 (10x Dial) Rx=(R2*R3)/R1
Balance R3)

10 448 4480 5520 9739.13043

9 427 4270 5730 8942.40838
8 401 4010 5990 8033.38898
7 369 3690 6310 7017.43265
6 330 3300 6700 5910.44776
5 290 2900 7100 4901.40845
4 230 2300 7700 3584.41558
3 190 1900 8100 2814.81481
2 125 1250 8750 1714.28571
1 75 750 9250 972.972973

Results and Discussion:

In this experiment we studied the working principle of wheatstone bridge and we studied
how to find the resistance of an unknown resistor. Basically we connected the probe as
shown in figure and then we changed the R3 with the help of dial until the reading in
voltmeter becomes zero then we note the value of R3 and R1 and R2
Then we used the formulae of unknown resistor to find the resistance. In the first part we
connected the built in resistor in the circuit as Rx and then we disconnected
The built in resistor and connected the slider resistor in its place then we changed the
slider resistor and find it from formulae of Rx.
There are several possible errors that could occur in a Wheatstone bridge experiment:

1. Inaccurate component values: If the resistors used in the experiment are not
accurately labeled or have drifted in value over time, this can lead to errors in the
measurement.
2. Temperature effects: The resistance of a wire or resistor can change with
temperature, so changes in the ambient temperature of the experiment can affect the
measurement.
3. Contact resistance: Poor contact between the resistors and the connectors can
introduce resistance into the circuit, leading to measurement errors.
4. Power supply noise: Any noise or fluctuations in the power supply can affect the
measurement.
5. Human error: Mistakes made in setting up the circuit or taking measurements can
also lead to errors.

Page 5 of 6
To minimize these errors, it is important to use high-quality components, maintain a stable
and controlled environment, ensure good contact between the components and connectors,
and double-check all measurements and calculations. Additionally, repeating the
experiment multiple times and taking an average of the measurements can help to reduce
the impact of any errors.

Conclusion:

In this experiment, we have to find the unknown resistance. We used the formulae:
Rx=(R2*R3)/R1
and we found the value of resistance for the slider resistor. our results were both qualitatively and
quantitively accurate as we are getting an almost linear result for our unknown resistor.
Task 1: What are the potential applications of the Wheatstone bridge circuit in
industry and how has it evolved over time?

The Wheatstone bridge circuit is a simple electrical circuit that is widely used in industry
for measuring small changes in resistance. It has a wide range of industrial applications,
including strain gauges, temperature sensors, load cells, and pressure sensors. Over time,
the Wheatstone bridge circuit has evolved to include digital and analog implementations,
as well as miniaturization and integration into microchips. This has made it more portable
and easier to use in a wide range of applications. Overall, the Wheatstone bridge circuit
remains an important tool for measuring small changes in resistance in a variety of
industrial settings

Marks Distribution:

Readings & Results & Conclusion Task 1 Total

Calculations Discussion
3 3 2 2 10

Page 6 of 6